Refrigerating apparatus



1,634,400 y 5 1927' R. w. DAVENPORT REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Filed A112.15. 1925 [/V VEN 7' 0]? Rel/750m W [MW/720M tack and corrode theapparatus.

Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANS OM W. DAVENPORT, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN-,ASSIGNOR T0 GHICAG'O rnnumn'rrc v TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY REFRIGERATTNG APPARATUS.

Application filed August 13, 1925. Serial No.'49,913.

The present invention relates to apparatus for producing refrigerationmechanically.

In refrigerating apparatus of the type described as heretofore usedmuch'trouble has been experienced in confining the refrigerant. Leakageof the refrigerant not only eventuals ly impairs or destroys theefliciency of the apparatus but also has many disagreeable, if notactually dangerous, features. Practically all of the ordinaryrefrigerants are inflammable and some of them are explosive. Theyusually have a disagreeable or offensive odor and certain of them arepoisonous. The refrigerant lost by leakage is replaced by air, which inthe conventional system interferes with the operation ofthe system. Theair thus admitted ordinarily contains Water .vapor which combineschemically with certain refrigerants producing acids which at- Leakagemost frequently develops and ,is practically confined to the packings ofthe compressor or' pump.

Among the objects of the invention are to prevent the escape ofrefrigerant from the system, to eliminate packings on ,the compressorshaft, and in general to simplify and improve the structure andarrangement of refrigerating apparatus of the described type in theinterest of more satisfactory and efficient service.

The invention comprises the disposing of certain of the apparatus, atleastthe prime mover and the compressor, within a sealed fluid tightcasing or container and connecting theinterior of the casing to the highside of the refrigerating system. The condenser.

may be disposed either inside or outside the casing as desired, but the60111186131011 of the high side pressure to the casing is bypreference=at a point beyond-the condenser. The lnvention isparticularly adapted for use withrefrigerants of the type described inmy copending application No. 603,998 filed Nov. 29, 1922 operating inaccordance with-the process set forth in my copending application No.15,172 filed .Mar. 12, 1925 on account of the low pressures obtaining onthe high side of this system, but the invention is by no means confinedthereto. I

y In order to illustrate the invention and the manner of its operationone concrete embodiment thereof is disclosed inthe accompanying drawingin which the sealed casing or container for the refrigerating apparatusis disclosed in section as mounted upon a refrigerator cabinet, largelybroken away, the

remaining parts of the apparatus includin the refrigerating element forthe cabinet an the connections thereto being diagrammaticallyillustrated. I

In the embodiment shown, A indicates the upper portion of arefrigerating cabinet upon which is mounted the refrigerating unit 1which includes a casing preferably of metal, having a.base 2 and, acover 3. The lower edge of the cover seats in a groove 4: in the basewhich groove contains suitable semi-plastic sealing material, the partsof the casing being held in sealed engagement. by bolts 5 engagingprojecting portions or' brackets 6 on the base and cover respectively.Within the casing is mounted the compressor 7,-which may be of anysuitable or preferred type (that shown having a double ended piston) andhas a crank shaft 7 upon which is mounted a fly wheel 7 over which runsa belt 8 driven by a prime mover such as the electric motor 9 alsomounted within the casing. The discharge pipe 7 of'the compressor leadsto a condenser 10. While the condenser may be of any suitable or desiredtype and may be mounted either on the inside or on the outside of thecasing as desired, the condenser shown is the conventional double pipetype disposed within the casing. Leads 11 passing through the base 2supply the cooling medium, in the present instance water, to the innerpipe 10 of condenser 10. Condenser 10 discharges into an openreceptacle12 mounted within the casing,'thereby connecting the interior of thecasing to the high pressure side of the refrigera'ting system. Anoverflow pipe 13 extends upwardly within the receptacle 12 andterminates somewhat below the discharge end 10 of the condenser. Pipe 13leads out of the casing through a sealed opening and connects with acoil or refrigerating element within cabinet A, diagrammaticallyindicated at B, by a throttle device 0 which may be an expansion valveor a Venturi nozzle. A connection from the top of the refrigeratingelement B is diagrammatically indicated extending to the intake pipe 14of compressor 7 which pipe passes through a sealed opening in base 2 ofthe casing.

The water connection to condenser 10 preferably includes coils 11 withinreceptacle 12 for absorbing heat from the contents of the receptaclethereby to insure a body of condensed or liquid refrigerant within the ireceptacle. Means such as wicking 15 extendmg through a pipe 16 may beutilized to conduct some of the liquid refrigerant from receptacle 12into compressor 7 to lubricate the same. The use of liquid refrigerantas a lubricant for the'compressor is disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 705,809 filed April 11, 1924.

,In operation the gaseous'portions of the refrigerant are drawn from thetop of the refrigerating element B, compressed in pump 7, and dischargedunder pressure into conpipe 13, whence it expands up through therefrigerating element B absorbing heat from cabinet A and completing thecycle. Since the interior of the casing is open to the high pressureside of the system no fluid tight packings are used or required for thecrank shaft 7*, of the pump.

From the above it will be appa rent that I the present invention makesprovision for the assembly into a compact unit ofthe entirerefrigerating apparatus except for the refrigerating element and theimmediate connections thereto, that the sealing of the casingpractically eliminates all refrigerant leakage with its attendantdisagreeable and dangerous features, and that the present inventionavoids the necessity of providing packed joints which are difficult tomaintain in a fluid tight condition.

As stated previously,

tems utilizing as a refrigerant a physical mixture of a liquid and a gassubstantially inert to and insoluble in theliquid in accordance with themethod disclosed and claimed in my'copending application, Serial No. 15,172 filed Mar. 12, 1925.

While but one form of the invention has been herein shown and describedit is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificdetails thereof but covers all changes, modifications and adaptations'within the scope of the a pended claims.

I claim as my inv .ntion:

1. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a fluid tightcasing, a compressor and a prime mover therefor sealed within saidcasing, av condenser into which said compressor discharges, and meansconnecting the interior of said casing to the discharge of saidcondenser.

-2. In apparatus of the typedescribed, in

the "invention is par-. ticularly adapted for use inclosed cyclesyscombination, a fluid tight-casing, a compres sor and a prime movertherefor sealed Within said casing, a condenser connected to the highside of said compressor, and an open receptacle within said easing intowhich said condenser discharges, whereby the interior of said casing isconnected to the discharge or high pressure side of said compressor.

3. In a closed cycle system for producing refrigeration mechanically,the combination with a refrigerator containing a refrigerating element,of a refrigerating unit in the form of a casing having the rest of therefrigerating apparatus scaled therewithin, in-

eluding prime mover, compressor and condenser, the condenser connectionbeing interrupted at one point to place the interior of said casing inconnection'with the high side of said. system therebyto enable thesystem to operate properly without fluid tight packings-for thecompressor shaft.

4. In a refrigerating system, in combination, a refrigerator, arefrigerating coil therein. a casing having connections to the in saidcasing, a water condenser of the double pipe type into which saidcompressor ischarges, an open receptacle within said easing into whichsaid. condenser the water connection to said condenser being arranged toabsorb'heat from the contents of said receptacle.

6. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a fluid tightcasing, a compressor and a prime mover therefor sealed within saidcasing, a water condenser of the double pipe type into which saidcompressor discharges, an open receptacle withln said casing into whichsaid condenser discharges, the water connection to said condenser hav:ing coils disposed within said receptacle to absorb heat from thecontents thereof. .7. In a closed cycle system for producingrefrigeration mechanically the combination with a refrigeratorcontaining a refrigerating element, of a refrigerating unit in the formof a casing having a base and a cover arranged to be sealed to said baseto form a fluid tight compartment, the remaining refrigerating apparatuscomprising condenser, compressor and prime mover being mounted in saidcompartment, an open receptacle within said compartment into which saidcondenser discharges, thereby placin said compartment in communicationwit the discharges,

,form a part of a closed cycle refrigerating high pressure side of saidsystem, an overflow from said receptacle connected through the base ofsaid casing to the lower part of said refrigerating element, and aconnection from the upper portion of said element through said base tothe intake of said compressor. a

' 8. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a compressor, aprime mover",

and a condenser, a fluid tight casing having said compressor and saidprime mover sealed therewithin, an open receptacle within said casinginto which said condenser discharges-thereby connecting said casing tohigh side pressure, and suitable connections between said parts andthrough .the walls of said casing to enable the same to be connectedinto and form a part of a closed cycle refrigerating system.

9. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a compressor, aprime mover, and a condenser, a fluid tight casing having saidcompressor and said prime mover sealed therewithin, an open receptaclewithin said casing into which said condenser'discharges therebyconnecting said casing to high side pressure, means for extracting heatfrom the contents of said receptacle, and-suitable connections throughthe walls of said casing to enable the same to be connected into andsystem.

10. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a compressor, aprime mover, and a double-pipe condenser, a fluid tight casing havingsaid compressor and said prime mover sealed therewithin, an openreceptacle within said casing into which said condenser dischargesthereby connecting said casing to high side pressure, means utilizingthe cooling medium for said condenser to exing.

tract heat from the contents of said recepand form a part of a closedcycle refrigerating system, one of said connections being arranged towithdraw at the'same time gas from said casing and liquid from saidreceptacle. k

12. In apparatus of the type described, in combination, a com ressor, aprime mover, and a condenser, a uid tight casing having said compressorand said prime mover sealed therewithin,'an open receptacle within saidcasing int-o which said condenser discharges thereby connecting saidcasing to high side pressure, means for extracting heat from thecontents of said receptacle and suitable connections through the wallsof said caslng to enable the same'to be connected into and form a partof a closed cycle refrigerating system, including a conduit having itsopen and adjacent the top of said receptacle so as to withdraw at thesame time both l1qu1d from said receptacle and gas from sald cas- Signedby me at Detroit, Michigan, this 5 day'of August, 1925.

RANSOM W. DAVENPORT.

